Third Sunday after Pascha - Sunday within the Octave of the Solemnity of St. Joseph

The third Sunday after Pascha is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour, until Vespers this year, is white. The Gospel pericopes from St. John's Gospel have the LORD telling the Disciples that in a little while He will be going to the Father. It is also the Sunday within the Octave of the Solemnity of St. Joseph. Prior to the reform of 1911-13 this feast was celebrated on the third Sunday after Pascha but was subsequently moved to the third Wednesday after Easter. Privileged Votive Masses of the Solemnity of St. Joseph may be celebrated as noted below.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the psalms of Saturday were sung under the single antiphon, Alleluia. The chapter, Carissimi: Obsecro vos etc, was proper to the Sunday and the Office hymn was Ad regias Agni dapes. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Peter of Verona, of St. Catherine of Siena and of the Octave of the Solemnity of St. Joseph. The Paschal Suffrage of the Cross was omitted due to the Octave and double feasts. At Compline Te lucis was sung with the Paschal Doxology and the Dominical preces were omitted.

At Mattins the invitatory is the great proclamation of the Resurrection, Surrexit Dominus vere, Alleluia. The Office hymn is Rex sempiterne Caelitum. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the book of the Apocalypse of St. John. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from a sermon of St. Augustine and in the third nocturn St. Augustine also provides the homily on St. John's Gospel. At Lauds the Office hymn is Aurora caelum purpurat. After the collect of the Sunday, commemorations are sung of St. Catherine and of the Octave of St. Joseph. The Paschal Commemoration of the Cross is omitted.

At Prime and the Hours the hymns have the Paschal Doxology. At Prime the Dominical preces are omitted due to the Octave and double feast.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Catherine, the third collect is of the Octave of St. Joseph. The Creed and the Paschaltide preface are sung.

Masses other than Conventual Masses may all be of the Solemnity of St. Joseph. The Mass Adjutor is sung, as on the feast. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of the Sunday, the Creed is sung. The preface is of St. Joseph and the last Gospel is of the Sunday. The liturgical colour is white.

After None there is a colour change to red and first Vespers of SS Philip and James Apostles are sung. The antiphons proper to the feast, Domine, ostende nobis Patrem etc, are sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 116. The chapter is Stabant justi and the Office hymn is Tristes erant Apostoli. The antiphon on the Magnificat, Non turbetur etc., and collect are both proper to the feast. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Sunday and of St. Catherine of Siena. The Paschal Commemoration of the Cross is omitted due to the double feasts and Octave. At Compline the Domincal preces are omitted.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' the feast of the Solemnity of St. Joseph and its Octave have been abolished with the execrable 'Joe the Worker' day replacing it on May 1st. There were no commemorations at Vespers. At Compline and at the Hours Te lucis is sung with the ordinary Doxology. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds there are no commemorations. At Mass there is a single collect. At Vespers there are no commemorations. Vesper are of 'Jerz the Werz' with a commemoration of the Sunday.

Art: Jerome Nadal